Some of the best advice I have received and some of the hardest lessons I have learned by trial, and many errors, are embodied in your truths.

Know a few things well.
Learn to see core truths and exclude noise.
Practice your skills and learn to use your tools instinctively.
Don’t automate the key decision points in your work. Keep those controls for yourself.
Evaluate the work and methods of those you admire, but DO and don’t just watch – learn but keep following your own path with methods you choose.
It is always cheaper to buy what you really want first. You will buy them eventually in any case.

Your work here shows that you walk the walk in what you have said here. It is a gift to be able to see your moving images and learn from your experiences. Thank you for sharing so generously.

I disagree with point 8, but not completely. I like learning things, so I’m on them daily. If I can help someone with something, that’s even better. Point 18, video: ah, I’ll pass… unless by ‘video’ you mean ‘Super 8mm film’.

Excellent summary of photographic truths. And I agree 100% about film rules. My percentage of meaningful pictures with black and white film is much higher than with digital. On sites like Dpreview, the film haters come out en masse wherever someone writes about film, clearly demonstrating that the film users know a skill that intimidates the haters.

I should never comment on these things, but, well…can we talk about #5? 😉

Oh, and while I understand about not betting against Leica, I wonder if anyone has seen odds on who’ll own them this time next year…who knows, maybe Zeiss will be more reasonable about CCD.

And lastly, I’d like a recount on #14 as related to old guys whose eyes sucked when they were young and have only gotten worse and are not shooting landscapes on a tripod with all day to fiddle… not that I’m speaking from personal experience or anything… 😦